Hoedown Pawpawty on Twitter today!

From Brewskie Butt, official spokescat of Art Adventures Studios...

Yo Brew's Posse! We are havin' a hoedown pawpawty today (Saturday September 26--Sunday September 27, 2009) on Twitter! Time to get yer farm on and get into all the fun! You can find all the info about the pawpawty here on @FrugalDougal's blog and you can follow all the action here on Tweetgrid. It isn't on the schedule, but sometime today, I will hold a contest for a free print by @BZTAT during the pawpawty! The answer to the contest question will be somewhere in a post on this blog, so be sure to review the most recent posts. Be sure to follow me, @BrewskieButt so that you can send me Direct Messages for the contest.

The pawpawty raises money for a different animal charity each month. Be sure to contribute to Soi Dog Rescue, this month's designated charity.

Hope to see ya at the pawpawty!!!!

Have a BREW-tiful day!

The Brew

Life is an Adventure!

Follow works in progress by BZTAT on Twitter by searching #bztatptg.

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH near Second April Galerie and the historic Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography.

Art of Kindness event raises $2500 + for Friends of Stark Pound!

Art of Kindness paintings by BZTAT

On Thursday, September 10, 2009, I engaged in a 12-hr painting marathon at Second April Galerie to raise money for Friends of Stark Pound animal rescue group. It was an intense but productive 12 hours! The 4 paintings pictured above were created and auctioned off, raising a total of $520!!! Proceeds from the entire Art of Kindness event totaled well over $2500!

We weren't sure how it would work, but I wanted to open up the auction of my paintings to Twitter fans. As it turned out, it was a huge success. All four paintings were sold to my official spokescat Brewskie Butt's Twitter fans! I cannot thank them enough for their interest in my artwork and their donations to Friends of Stark Pound!

Here are the individual paintings with the names of the top bidders:

White Dog by BZTAT

Purchased by @IamZorro


Blue Cat by BZTAT
Purchased by @Cheriswan


Yellow and White Cat by BZTAT
Purchased by PrettyKitties53


Brown and White Dog (Sylvie Dog) by BZTAT
Purchased by @SylvieDog

We also had donations from @PerrytheBirman, @Whskr, and @Gabby_da_Tabby.

Friends of Stark Pound and I are very grateful to all who came to the event at Second April Galerie and to those who participated via Twitter. Proceeds go directly to animals in need in Stark County.

Life is an Adventure!
BZTAT

Follow works in progress by BZTAT on Twitter by searching #bztatptg.

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OHnear Second April Galerie and the historic Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography.

Lou, Mama's boy: A gift from Brew…

From Brewskie Butt, official spokescat of Art Adventures Studios...

Awhile back, I posted about Lou, the first of my Twitter Critters series of artworks. Lou, a dog friend on Twitter, had graciously allowed BZTAT to use his photo to create a digital artwork. Last week we sent Lou and his family a print of the artwork to thank him. He was so excited, he wrote about it on his blog! You can read his post here!

Lou, Mama's boy: A gift from Brew…

Lou is one of my very best friends on Twitter. He is such a smiling guy and always friendly and helpful. He always "retweets", or forwards on information about BZTAT's artwork and is such a good friend to Art Adventures Studios. We luv ya Lou!!!!!

Have a BREW-tiful day!

The Brew

Life is an Adventure!

Follow works in progress by BZTAT on Twitter by searching #bztatptg.

Art Adventures Studios

Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT

Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OHnear Second April Galerie and the historic Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography.

Oscar The Cat: The Ultimate Twitter Critter

From Brewskie Butt, official spokescat of Art Adventures Studios...


Hi Everybody. It's the Brew. I am feelin' very sad today. My dear Twitter friend, @OscartheCat, passed over to the Rainbow Bridge today. It is strange, since he and I never actually met in real life, but we became best pals on Twitter, and it just feels awful now that he is gone.

You may remember that I wrote about Oscar back in February here. Here is some of what I wrote back then:

I met Oscar (known on Twitter as @OscarTheCat) early in my days on Twitter, but it wasn't until one fateful night that we became best pals. Someone nominated us both for one of those crazy Twitter popularity contests that they have, and he and I both got kinda silly with it. By the end of the night, we were in first and second place! Our friendship was cemented.

Oscar is one cool cat! He is always encouraging other cats and other critters by passing out *nosetaps*, and he has developed a special website just for Cats Who Twitter! Oscar wrote about me on his first "Blogger Tuesday" feature! He also has a blog called The Furry Tripod, so named because of his being a three-pawd cat. He lives with a slightly irreverent younger cat named Henry (known on Twitter as @Quadpawd), to whom he is trying to teach manners and the finer ways of being a cat. It's a big job, but he takes it in stride.

Oscar has been struggling with kidney disease since February, and he has defied all the odds. Just when the vet would say that it was time for him to go, Oscar would rally back and show his human mom that he was not ready yet. Today, though, his 18 year old body finally wore out, and he left this world. he will be greatly missed by his family and his friends on Twitter.

Oscar was not just your ordinary cat on Twitter. He was a friend to all, and he was the first "anipal" for most of the Twittering Critters. He was very special, always giving support, but also quick with a joke. We can only hope that his little "mancat in training" brother will pick up his legacy and keep his spirit alive.

BZTAT painted the picture above as a tribute to Oscar back in February, and she made it into a Get Well card that was signed by many of his anipals. You can see it here. The posting page only displays the last 25 comments made, but there were many, many more. BZTAT sent the painting to Oscar's mom a few weeks ago, because she just felt that was where it was supposed to be.

To all of Oscar's friends, please feel free to leave a comment or final *nosetap* here for our dear friend. To Oscar's family, I thank you so much for sharing your dear fellow with us.

And to Oscar--We are gonna miss ya, pal. But, we know what you are saying as you look down upon us from the Rainbow Bridge: "It's all good!" *nosetaps* t0 ya pal. We luv ya.

The Brew

Life is an Adventure!

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Pandora--The Painting of a Cat

Meet Pandora, a beautiful silver Maine Coon Cat, or @Pandafur as she is known on Twitter. Pandafur is a very special Twitter friend of my spokescat, Brewskie Butt (@Brewskiebutt). Pandafur's person commissioned her pet portrait after getting to know us on Twitter and seeing my artwork online. What a special treat to paint such a glamorous animal!

If you read Pandafur's blog (which you should!), you will see this and many other pictures of her. In this one, she is posing with her Plague Rat, a toy made in the UK, which is the greatest sensation among cats on Twitter. Panda has this bright pink comforter in many of her pictures, so I wanted to include that color in her portrait.

My first step in creating Pandafur's pet portrait was to make a sketch, using Photoshop and some pure old fashioned drawing.

Next, I began blocking in colors on a black canvas. As you can see, the colors are far from what is seen in the final image. This is purposeful. Using various colors layered on top of each other adds unique visual texture and light effects that create vivid and rich coloration in the painting.









The painting process of layering different colors on top of each other continued. In-process pictures were posted on Twitter for those who like to follow my process as it occurs. Folks seem to enjoy watching the process as the image develops.

Finally, the portrait was finished! Pandafur and her person, who followed the development of the painting on Twitter, were very pleased. Since they have experienced a flood in their home as a result of a washing machine hose break, I am very happy that they will soon be receiving something new to celebrate in their home! Pandafur's pet portrait will be shipped to them this week, and they should receive it at about the time that the flood clean-up is finished!

It was a great adventure painting Pandafur! The next adventure? A painting of a young boy and his cat, commissioned as a gift by his loving grandmother. Since it is a surprise gift, I won't be able to post pictures until the boy has received it. I will be working on other pictures simultaneously, however...

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT

Would you like a custom pet portrait of your pet? BZTAT will paint your animal for a very reasonable price. For information, email her at bztat@artadventuresstudios.com.

Follow works in progress by BZTAT on Twitter by searching #bztatptg.

Art Adventures Studios

Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT

Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH near Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

#Pawpawty: Animals Celebrate Around the World to Raise Money for Animal Charities

Brewskie Cinco De Mayo PawPawty

For the last 3 months, #pawpawty has dominated Twitter's trending topics, meaning that it is one of the most talked about topics on Twitter. Many folks have been wondering, what the heck is it?

The #pawpawty is one of the silliest, goofiest and most hilarious virtual events you will ever witness! It is quite difficult to explain, but I will try.

First of all, Twitter is a world unto itself. It is a vast sea of individuals who "tweet" or send out messages of 140 characters or less into an infinite cyberworld. Followers receive the tweets of the folks that they follow in their personal cyber feed, but anyone can read everyone's tweets if they can find them. It helps to have special applications to work with your Twitter feed, such as Tweetdeck or Tweetgrid to help you keep topics and followers organized. All Tweeters have a name that starts with the "@" symbol. Mine is @BZTAT.

Many of us who leave our pets home alone have discovered that, in our absence, our critters have taken to cyberspace and become avid Tweeters! Some call them Anipals or Twitter Critters. There are actually websites set up for Twitter Critters, like Cats Who Twitter, which is run by the amazing @Oscarthecat. Yes, you have all heard from my own Brewskie (AKA The Brew) @Brewskiebutt, who is somewhat of a cybercelebrity on Twitter. At last count, he had 2344 followers!

On an average day, the anipals do just what humans do on Twitter--they chronicle their lives in short statements and converse with their pals around the world. They talk about their favorite products (Plague Rats, Best Bully Sticks and Furminators are always hot topics), and they share about their trials and tribulations. They rally to support other critters who endure health crises, and they help to get the word out about pets needing homes. It is a very special community.

When there is a #pawpawty going on though, the anipals cut loose! For 24 hours, they frolic and "pawty", playing games, holding contests, and drinking virtual meowgaritas and niptinis. Each #pawpawty follows a theme, and the anipals all change their profile pictures to follow the theme. (The artwork in this post are Brewskie's #pawpawty pictures.) It is so much fun, and so trendy on Twitter, it draws interest from people who have no clue of what it is about. All tweets have the #pawpawty hashtag in them so that they can be identified.

But the #pawpawty's are more than just fun. They raise money for animal charities and raise awareness for the needs of pets around the world. So far, over $5000 has been raised for organizations like The Humane Society, Kitten Rescue of Los Angeles and Orphans of the Storm in Illinois. The most recent pawpawty was held May 2-3 to benefit the Margaret Green Animal Rescue.

Of course, my Brewskie has been an avid participant in the #pawpawty's! In fact, the last one was held to celebrate his birthday. His good friend @FrugalDougal has been the Master of Ceremonies for the last two, doing an amazing job of coordinating prize contests, bartenders and DJ's for the events.

We knew with the last #pawpawty that there was international significance to the event. It has been so noticed on Twitter now that it has, unfortunately, drawn the spammers and imposters. Never mess with a bunch of anipals, however. They successfully banned the spammers from their #pawpawty stream and they managed to get Twitter to eliminate a poser trying to sell a Twitter account name on Ebay.

So why do I allow my cat to Tweet? Why do we participate in this silly virtual world? Well, we have met many animals and their people from around the world who are very special. Brewskie has been a great spokescat and manged to get my artwork seen by thousands of people around the world. And his pals have become great models for my artwork!

So check on your pets now and then and see what they are up to in YOUR absence...

Check out this neat slideshow of pictures of the Cinco De Mayo #pawpawty!

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT

Would you like a custom pet portrait of your pet? BZTAT will paint your animal for a very reasonable price. For information, email her at bztat@artadventuresstudios.com.

Follow works in progress by BZTAT on Twitter by searching #bztatptg.

Art Adventures Studios

Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT

Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OHnear Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Samson: The Painting of a Dog

"Samson" by BZTAT

Meet Samson, a beautiful Pomeranian dog from San Diego, CA! Samson is the housemate a Twitter Critter friend (@PerrytheBirman) whose portrait was featured on the "Buzz from BZTAT!" on April 18. Samson and Perry's person (@debweeva on Twitter) commissioned their pet portraits after getting to know us on Twitter and seeing my artwork online. It was a privilege to paint both of these beautiful creatures!

I have not met Samson or Perry in person, as they live very far away from me. I created their portraits from photos on their person's Flickr page.

I knew that painting Samson would be a challenge, as solid colored animals are the most difficult for me. My style depends upon strong contrasts, and solid colored animals have very subtle visual contrasts. Honestly, Samson is the first white dog that I ever painted.


I started by making a reference image by abstracting the photo with Photoshop. This gave me an idea of the basic shapes and lines to the face. I then traced the image onto a black canvas using an overhead transparency.



I began layering colors to get different color and texture effects. I struggled, however,when I started to integrate the subject with the background. I was posting in process photos on Twitter, and everyone was loving it, including my patron. But it wasn't looking right to me. I had to take some time away from it to get some clarity. I worked on another picture for awhile to take a break.

The image was troubling to me because the face, which takes up the majority of the picture, was very flat and abstract. The background, although also abstract, was more dimensional,
which made the face look too much like a cut-out mask to me.

I fiddled and fiddled, trying to make the face more dimensional, with no success. My style just didn't lend well to that. Finally, it occurred to me to flatten the background instead. That worked!!!

Now that it is finished, I feel pretty accomplished, having accepted and successfully met a new challenge! There were some moments of insecurity, throughout the process. Such is the life of an artist.

Painting Samson and his housemate Perry was a great adventure! I will be sending them their portraits this week.

Next up? Another Twitter Critter friend, @Pandafur, who is a beautiful Maine Coon cat from Massachusetts!

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT

Would you like a custom pet portrait of your pet? BZTAT will paint your animal for a very reasonable price. For information, email her at bztat@artadventuresstudios.com.

Follow works in progress by BZTAT on Twitter by searching #bztatptg.

Art Adventures Studios

Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT

Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OHnear Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Special Thanks from the Brew and BZTAT

Beginning on April 5 and ending on April 6, an amazing event occurred that reminded me of how special animals and their people truly were. The event was my cat Brewskie's birthday "paw pawty" that was celebrated around the world as the "#pawpawty" on Twitter.

For those of you who aren't on Twitter, I know that this whole business is probably a mystery to you. To those who are on Twitter, but have not experienced the animal kingdom within, it probably sounds crazy, too. Please bear with me as I try to explain, and as I try to share how this whole thing moved me in ways that I would have never imagined.

I knew that my cat (@Brewskiebutt) "tweeted" on Twitter when I left him at home all day. I knew that he was incredibly popular among his "anipals" (other critters on Twitter with whom he communicates about various animal concerns). I knew that throwing him a party on Twitter would be a success, and I knew that we could raise some money for animal rescue efforts in the process.

What I didn't expect was the overwhelmingly joyful, kind-spirited and innocent fun that led to a very deep connection between hundreds, maybe thousands of "critters" around the entire world. In the so-called "real world" these "critters" are complete strangers. In a "virtual world", however, they frolic and play and are the best of friends.

The one thing that brings them together is a love for animals and the unexplainable way that animals bring out the best in humanity.

The paw pawty lasted for a full 24 hours, and it was a top trend on Twitter for almost the entire time. For several hours, it was the number one trend on Twitter, meaning that, throughout the globe, it was the most talked-about topic on Twitter. It wasn't Brewskie that they were talking about. It was the joy and fun of cutting loose and sharing with others who love animals.

There was silly nonsense, like dogs lining up to use the porta-hydrants and cats passing around the "nip". There were DJ's "blip-ing" music and critters dancing the night away. There were animals partying throughout the paw pawty's "virtual location" of the Canton Arts District, taking in the amazing art scene and entertainment zone that has become Canton's new claim to fame. And there were contests and prizes galore.

Yeah, I know it sounds crazy.

This imaginary world, though, somehow brought out the "realness" of innocent fun and hopeful cheer that is often forgotten in a world of difficult challenges and conflict. For a day, the paw pawty participants got back in touch with their tender and innocent selves by sharing a special time with others around the world.

Oh, and by the way, Anipals raised $1,101.00 for @Romeothecat's FurPower Challenge during the paw pawty which will go to Kitten Rescue in Los Angeles, CA.

The Brew and I would like to thank his Paw Pawty organizing committee for all of their efforts in coordinating contests and prizes and many other details. Led by organizer extraordinaire

@frugaldougal the committee included @Emmythecat, @Romeothecat, @Duke Richard II and @oscarthecat. Thanks to their pre-pawty planning and activities during the paw pawty, the event went off without a hitch.

We would also like to thank each and every one of The Brew's followers, fondly referred to as "Brew's Posse" (1919 strong at the time of this writing), for touching our lives with your individual character and charisma every day on Twitter. We love all of you!

And now, we have work to do! The Brew's cherished anipal @Perrythebirman has commissioned a custom portrait...

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT

Art Adventures Studios

Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT

Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OHnear Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

@EmmytheCat tweeting during the#pawpawty

Madamoiselle Chloe: Next in the Twitter Critter Series

From Brewskie Butt, official spokescat of Art Adventures Studios...


Hello All. It's the Brew! I thought I would share a painting that my person BZTAT painted that is very near and dear to my heart. It's a painting of my special Twitter and Facebook sweetheart, Madamoiselle Chloe. I have a tender spot for Mon Cherie Chloe, who is the green-eyed, tuxedo chatelaine of a charming, if small, chateau. She has seen some rough adventures in her life, but she now lives a comfortable life, and she's always very sweet to me me on Twitter.

Meet Madamoiselle Chloe!


BZTAT is working on a whole series of photos, drawings and paintings of different critters who blog on Twitter. For those who don't know, Twitter is a micro-blogging site where you can converse with others around the world in short meaningful statements. Did you know that there were hundreds and thousands of animals who post on Twitter? Each one puts up a small photo called an avatar on their Twitter page, and BZTAT finds these avatars to be very inspiring. Some of the critters have given her permission to use their avatars as points of departure for artwork. Mademoiselle Chloe is the third in the Twitter Critter series.

Hope you enjoy the picture and that you have a Brew-ti-ful day!

The Brew

Life is an Adventure!

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

Oscar The Cat: Next in the Twitter Critter Series

From Brewskie Butt, official spokescat of Art Adventures Studios...

"Oscar the Cat" by BZTAT

Hi Everybody! It's the Brew! I thought I would share a painting that my person, BZTAT, has been working on. This is a picture of everybody's best pal among the Twitter Critters, Oscar! We moved Oscar up the list of those critters who have portraits in process, because Oscar has fallen ill this week, and I wanted to give a special shout out to him.

I met Oscar (known on Twitter as @OscarTheCat) early in my days on Twitter, but it wasn't until one fateful night that we became best pals. Someone nominated us both for one of those crazy Twitter popularity contests that they have, and he and I both got kinda silly with it. By the end of the night, we were in first and second place! Our friendship was cemented.

Oscar is one cool cat! he is always encouraging other cats and other critters by passing out *nosetaps*, and he has developed a special website just for Cats Who Twitter! Oscar wrote about me on his first "Blogger Tuesday" feature! He also has a blog called The Furry Tripod, so named because of his being a three-pawd cat. He lives with a slightly irreverent younger cat named Henry (known on Twitter as @Quadpawd), to whom he is trying to teach manners and the finer ways of being a cat. It's a big job, but he takes it in stride.

Oscar developed some kidney problems last week that gave his person quite a scare. I and all of his Twitter pals have been sending well wishes all week. Last night, we posted a Get Well card, and well over 50 folks have already signed it! You can sign the card here, if you like. The posting page only displays the last 25 comments made, but we have saved all of them for Oscar to see.

My person, BZTAT is working on a whole series of photos, drawings and paintings of different critters who blog on Twitter. For those who don't know, Twitter is a micro-blogging site where you can converse with others around the world in short meaningful statements. Did you know that there were hundreds and thousands of animals who post on Twitter? There are cats, dogs, horses, hamsters, chinchillas, parrots--even a hermit crab! Each one puts up a small photo called an avatar on their Twitter page, and BZTAT finds these avatars to be very inspiring. Some of the critters have given her permission to use their avatars as points of departure for artwork. Oscar's portrait is the second Twitter Critter artwork that she has completed.

I hope that all our well wishes help Oscar feel better. We love ya pal! Hope you have a Brew-ti-ful day!

The Brew

Life is an Adventure!

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.

"Lou Mama's Boy" First of the Twitter Critter Series

From Brewskie Butt, official spokescat of Art Adventures Studios...


Hi Everybody! It's the Brew! I thought I would share a picture that my person, BZTAT, has been working on. It's a picture of Lou, who is one of my favorite Twitter Critter friends.

"Lou, Mama's Boy" digital photo

Lou is the most smiling guy I have ever met! He has taught me that I don't have to be afraid of dogs, at least not when I talk to them through Twitter and Facebook. Lou lives with his adopted sister Pebble in Arizona. He has his own blog Lou Mama's Boy and he is very active on Facebook and Twitter.

My person, BZTAT is working on a whole series of photos, drawings and paintings of different critters who blog on Twitter. For those who don't know, Twitter is a micro-blogging site where you can converse with others around the world in short meaningful statements. Did you know that there were hundreds and thousands of animals who post on Twitter? There are cats, dogs, horses, hamsters, chinchillas, parrots--even a hermit crab! Each one puts up a small photo called an avatar on their Twitter page, and BZTAT finds these avatars to be very inspiring. Some of the critters have given her permission to use their avatars as points of departure for artwork. Lou's is the first one that she has completed. She is also in the process of making a painting of one of my sweethearts, Madamoiselle Chloe. Purrrrrrr.....She is a very fine kitty!

Next up in the Twitter Critter series include: Monkey Cat (another fine and purrrrty girl kitty!); Pebbles, Lou's sister; India, a real Bengal Tiger; and many others.

Hope you have a Brew-ti-ful day!

The Brew

Art Adventures Studios
Buy Artwork and Gifts by BZTAT
Art Adventures Studios, located in downtown Canton, OH
near Second April Galerie and the historic Onesto Hotel.